Computer Science 444: Embedded / Robotic Programming

Unit 8: Robotic Control 4 – Hybrid and Behaviour-Based Control

The various types of control mechanisms studied so far in the course lead to a natural question: what would happen if we combined some of the control mechanisms? The answer to that question is that we would be creating hybrid control mechanisms. After examining hybrid control mechanisms, we go on to examine behaviour-based control.

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you should be able to

  • describe hybrid control and its relation to prior control mechanisms.
  • discuss types of planning and replanning in robots.
  • describe behaviour-based control.
  • design robots that employ hybrid or behaviour-based control to achieve goals.

Readings

Please read the following chapters in the textbook:

  • Think and Act Separately, In Parallel (Chapter 15)
  • Think the Way You Act (Chapter 16)

Questions to Ponder

At the end of each chapter in the assigned readings there are questions labelled “Food for Thought.” Please answer these questions as best you can in your weblog, which will become part of your portfolio of competence submitted for marking during this course.

Exercises

Exercises for this unit can be found in the Instructor’s Weblog on the Landing. Please follow along with the exercises and programs using your own Arduino kit, and keep a record of your explorations in your own weblog.

Further Readings

At the end of each chapter in the assigned readings you will find a section titled “Looking for More.” While the links and readings mentioned in this section are not assigned, please feel free to examine them if you are interested, or ask questions on the Landing.

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